Lyon braced for Diarra loss
Wednesday 21 September 2005
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Lyon midfielder Mahamadou Diarra has a thigh injury (©AFP)
Olympique Lyonnais midfielder Mahamadou Diarra will miss the French champions' league games against RC Lens on Thursday and away to FC Nantes Atlantique on Sunday after sustaining a thigh injury. Further scans this weekend will determine whether the 24-year-old Malian can travel to Rosenborg BK for the UEFA Champions League Group F match on 28 September.
The Italian Olympic Committee has announced that FC Messina Peloro defender Marco Zanchi failed a doping test after the game at S.S. Lazio on 28 August. The 28-year-old former Italian Under-21 international has also played for Atalanta BC, Udinese Calcio, Juventus FC, Hellas-Verona FC and Bologna FC.
Udinese Calcio's in-form striker Vincenzo Iaquinta was omitted from the squad for Wednesday's Serie A game against Juventus FC after refusing to renew his contract which expires in 2007. "I'm very sad to think that Iaquinta is the only player in our squad who doesn't want to be part of our long-term project," said Udinese director Pietro Leonardi. "All the other players have proved their faith in Udinese by renewing their contracts. We will continue to field only players who believe in our project."
RBC Roosendaal midfielder Danny Guijt faces an extended lay-off after the broken foot he suffered in the Dutch league game against Willem II on 28 August failed to heal properly. The fractured foot has now been put back into plaster for another four weeks. Ironically, the 24-year-old sustained the injury five minutes into his comeback from a broken bone in his other foot.
Portuguese UEFA Cup contenders Vitória FC's coach Norton de Matos will remain at the club following talks with president Rui João Chumbita Nunes. The 51-year-old had criticised the Setubal side for not meeting their obligations after Sunday's 1-0 home win against Gil Vicente FC, but apologised at a press conference yesterday which settled the matter.
Michael Ballack returned to training on Wednesday and should be fit for FC Bayern München's league trip to Hamburger SV on Saturday. The Germany captain has missed Bayern's last three games - two in the Bundesliga and one in the Champions League, all being won 1-0.
Everton FC have confirmed that defender Alessandro Pistone will sit out the season following the first of two operations on the cruciate knee ligament injury he sustained at Bolton Wanderers FC last month. "Alessandro has had his cartilage repaired. He will go back next month to have the cruciate reconstruction and is almost certainly going to miss the whole season," said physio Mick Rathbone. Pistone, 30, recently signed a new two-year contract with the English club.
Legia Warszawa have terminated the contract of Brazilian defender Daniel Lopes Cruz. The 23-year-old left-back made just one appearance, in the 4-1 UEFA Cup second qualifying round defeat by FC Zürich, following his arrival this summer. Staying in Poland, Lech Poznan defender Marcin Kuś is expected to miss around six weeks with an achilles injury. The 24-year-old has been a key figure as second-placed Lech have tallied 14 points from their opening seven games.
Holders Rangers FC struck three extra-time goals to beat first division side Clyde FC 5-2 at Ibrox and book a place in the Scottish League Cup quarter-finals, where they were joined by Motherwell FC, Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC and Dunfermline Athletic FC. Meanwhile, Manchester City FC, Tottenham Hotspur FC and Portsmouth FC's hopes of advancing from the second round of the English version were dashed by lower-league opposition.
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